High school roundup: Atascocita a victory from District 19-5A title

NEIGHBORHOOD HIGH SCHOOL ROUNDUP

The Atascocita Eagles will try and earn their first-ever District 19-5A football championship when they take on Kingwood at 7:30 p.m. on Friday at Turner Stadium.

Atascocita (8-1, 4-1 in District 19-5A) earned the right to play for the district title with last week's 17-11 victory over Eisenhower.

Kingwood comes into the game 5-4 overall and 3-2 in the league after last week's tough 23-21 loss to Aldine.

“We have to go out and take care of business,” said Atascocita head coach Dean Colbert. “Kingwood is a good football team. They are well coached. We are going to have our hands full. We have to be ready to play.”

Eisenhower has finished league play at 4-2, meaning a Kingwood victory over Atascocita would create at least a three-way tie for the district title.

Humble also is 3-2, and if the Wildcats beat Nimitz, they could jump into a four-way tie for the conference crown.

Atascocita already has clinched a playoff berth even if it loses to Kingwood because the loser of the Humble-Nimitz game will fall behind the Eagles, and Atascocita beat Humble and Eisenhower.

“I am proud of the way our kids have played this year,” Colbert said. “They have had a great attitude and they know what it is all about.”The Eagles are led by the running of Jarvis Neal and Kent Brooks, and the passing combination of Chaz Carrington to Everrette Pleasant.

Brooks rushed for 82 yards and a touchdown in last week's win over Eisenhower. He also caught a 15-yard touchdown pass from Carrington.

Kingwood is led by quarterback Greg Williamson, who has rushed for more than 900 yards on the season. He rushed for 102 yards and three touchdowns in last week's loss to Aldine.

“Their quarterback is a good runner,” Colbert said. “They also play pretty good defense. They are a very good, solid playoff team. Coach McDougald does an excellent job with them.”

A 20-17 loss to Nimitz early in district play seemed to be just the medicine the Eagles needed to make a run at the district crown.

“In this district, anybody can beat anybody,” Colbert said. “You have to play your ‘A' game. We made mistakes early that cost us (against Nimitz). We never got in control of the game. They probably played their best game and we didn't play our best. But Nimitz can beat anybody.”

If Humble beats Nimitz, it is in the playoffs. If not, the Wildcats look to be on the outside of the playoffs. Eisenhower and Atascocita have two of the other three spots. Kingwood could miss the playoffs if it loses to Atascocita and Aldine beats MacArthur.

Kingwood stumbles

Kevin Poole booted a 31-yard field goal with 1:07 left in the game to lift Aldine to a thrilling 23-21 victory over the Kingwood Mustangs.

Kingwood dropped to 5-4 overall and 3-2 in District 19-5A with the loss. It now must beat Atascocita at 7:30 p.m. on Friday at Turner Stadium to assure itself of its fourth straight playoff berth.

Aldine also can earn one of the league's playoff spots if it beats MacArthur, Humble beats Nimitz and Kingwood loses to Atascocita.

Greg Williamson rushed for 102 yards and three touchdowns for Kingwood.

Cleveland wins 22-3A title

The Cleveland Indians defeated Coldspring 14-12 last week to claim the District 22-3A football championship.

The Indians' defense held Coldspring to only 216 total yards and forced three turnovers in the victory.

Pedro Fernandez also booted two extra points, which proved to be the margin of victory.

Cleveland (8-1. 5-0) will conclude the regular season at 7:30 p.m. on Friday at Splendora.

Kingwood wins swim meet

The Kingwood Mustangs placed first in girls, boys and combined scored at the Early Bird Invitational swim meet at Atascocita High School.

“The kids did a great job for early in the year,” Kingwood swim coach Russell Duin said. “They showed that there is potential for great things to happen later on and that we still have a lot of work to do. We need to keep our goals in mind.”

The Mustangs return four swimmers from last year's state-championship team in Ryan Glander, Jordan Jones, Will Oswald and Steve Ciliske. All-American Matt Barber also returns to the team after taking a year off from high school swimming a year ago.

Barber won the 200- and 500-yard freestyle events and anchored the Mustangs' 400 freestyle team. Jones, Oswald and Glander also were on the gold-medal team that swam 3:13.51 to set a new pool record.

Jones also won the 50- and 100-yard freestyle, Reed Dalton won the 200 individual medley, Glander won the 100-yard backstroke and Patrick Pash won the 100 breaststroke.

The Kingwood girls, who finished third at the state a year ago, were led by freshman Madeline Hazle, who won the 500 freestyle in 5:05.23. She also took second in the 200 individual medley. Leah Pfitzer and Sydney Conroy also placed first and second in the 100 butterfly.

The Lady Mustangs also won several other individual events, including Danielle Meara's victory in the 100 breastroke and sophomore Malaney Peete's win in diving.

Kingwood will take on Atascocita and Southlake Carroll in a tri-meet at 5 p.m. Friday at Kingwood High School.

Kingwood, Atascocita finished at regionals

The Kingwood Mustangs defeated Clear Brook 11-8 and lost to state-ranked Clear Lake 15-2 in a pair of recent team tennis matches.